When the Laughing Stops
by Amledo
Summary: Nolanverse and post TDK. Slight Batman/Joker. The Joker has a new tatic for catching his Batsy's attention. T just because I don't want to be pelted with rotten tomatos. Oneshot


(A/N: Well many of you may not know me. I'm a bit of a Jack of all trades when it comes to fanfiction. I dream of owning Batman, and the Joker, but I don't so I write fanfics. Anyway, Batman Joker slash don't like don't read all that rot. Nolanverse and post TDK. The Joker will be OOC, Heath is just impossible for me to capture in writing and Batman is OOC as I'm not fond of all the seriousness.)

When the Laughing Stops

It was raining in Gotham City, it rained so frequently that sometimes he wondered how the place didn't flood. But that was a thought somewhere deep inside his subconscious, a place that kept all such unnecessary thoughts from his mind. He needed to be thinking clearly, and more so in the last few weeks, the Joker had broken out of Arkham and with that sort of threat looming over head, Batman had to be on his toes. He stood atop the main building of the Wayne Enterprises building, one of the best perches in the entire city, eyes just scanning.

Strangely, nothing looked out of place. In fact it looked so perfect that he automatically assumed something was wrong. He tensed, just above the sound of the rain hammering the roof he could hear something. A footstep there, a harsh intake of breath, there was a presence of malice and Batman turned to face it, his jaw set and ready for any blow that might land. But the Joker just stood there, smiling.

"So this is where you hang out?" a comment, as if they weren't rivals, in fact the Joker sounded more like a disappointed parent than anything. He gave a soft chuckle at the confusion displayed on Batman's face; the Caped Crusader wasn't in on the joke. But that was okay, because soon he would be. "You really do just put yourself through so much for these people. Why? They hate you," the statement was laced with venom and a grim halting speech pattern that made Batman's skin crawl.

"They need to hate me, so I let them," Batman's gruff reply, he didn't want to give the clown too much time to think. He was busy trying to figure the situation out for himself. How had the Joker gotten on the roof? Were there dead security guards to be thinking of? How had the Joker found him?

"You know Batsy, that's just not right. Harvey, he did those things, killed those people. Why take the rap for our White Knight? Why not let this be your moment to shine in the goodness that you exude?" asking far too many questions for Bruce's liking the Joker took a step closer and laughed softly. He wiped at his face, scrubbing away much of them make up. Little creases of red and white remained near his scars, but Batman finally saw his enemy's face, unpainted. It made his heart leap into his throat, until then he hadn't thought of the Joker as a human being.

"Harvey didn't kill those people. The creature you made him into killed those people. You broke him and twisted him, you should be pleased," Batman spat, he knew that the clown was baiting him; he just didn't know where it was going. All the same he was ready to take the Joker down, bring him back to Arkham and leave the city in peace once again.

"I was, darling, I really was. But now, no, no, it's all wrong. You messed it up, you took the fall, and now everyone is losing their minds just to kill you," the Joker's voice rose in pitch and a few harsh giggles made their way from his throat. But Batman could tell that they weren't amusement, the mass murderer of a clown was agitated. Did it actually bother him? Or was it just some game?

"You got what you wanted; everyone thinks I'm a killer. They think I broke my rules," Batman's response was quick and harsh; he hadn't realized just how much it had been bothering him. Talking to his enemy though, it just seemed to make things worse; he came to realize that the Joker was right in the sickest way and that got under his skin. Yes in the back of his mind, Batman resented the people of Gotham for not being grateful for the work that he did.

"No, wrong again. I, wanted you to break your rule. Not to pretend that you did for the greater good. That just makes you more of a hero. I want you to be bad," the Joker burst out laughing and bounded forward, latching his arms around Batman, trapping the Dark Knight's arms at his sides. A huge smile stretched his scarred cheeks to the point of puckering. "I just wanted you to do that for me sweetness, but you couldn't," the Joker concluded softly. He rested his head on Batman's shoulder and stared at the sky.

"Let go," a simple command, the Joker obeyed, but his head stayed in place. Batman stared blankly, the small man had extraordinary strength, but he just gave up, and what was with the cuddling? He actually didn't think to push the smaller man's head off of his shoulder, easier to stop him from attacking as he was in the prone position. "Did you break out of Arkham just to find me and give me a lecture about how I've disappointed you?" Batman posed the question out of curiosity. It wasn't really any of his business, and the Joker was going to have to answer to the police but he just had to know.

"No, I broke out and searched all over the city to tell you that I'm trying something new," the Joker laughed again, his face was suddenly inches from Batman's and the Caped Crusader felt the heart in his chest quit. The warm impact of soft lips stunned him to the point of rigidity, his arms locked at his sides, jaw clenched. The Joker pulled away and smiled. "If I can't win you over with violence, maybe I just have to romance you a bit," the clown giggled and Batman felt himself blush. He sank to the ground and just sat there.

Out of the sheer repetitiveness of their encounters Batman caught the Joker by the wrist the second the smaller man looked to be leaving. But with no prompting and little of his typical attitude the Joker sat, he appeared to be enjoying the rain.

"You kissed me."

"Yeah, I did Bats, I did," came the easy response from what seemed to be a much more docile clown.

"You kill the woman that I love and then you kiss me."

"She was going to steal your attention away from me. I couldn't let her do that. And yes I kissed you."

"I really don't understand you. Do you love me or hate me?"

"I love and hate you. Very passionately."

"Joker, straight answer," Batman said at last, he was just tired of it, and very confused about the way that kiss had made him feel. The Joker twisted and pressed a kiss to the Dark Knight's lips once again. To the clown's surprise (and even his own) Batman cupped the pale face and pulled the small man closer, deepening the kiss.

"There's your answer darling," the Joker purred content at last. Batman stood and picked the smaller man up instructing him to hold on tightly. "Where are we going?" the Joker asked calmly once Batman had gotten them to the ground.

"I'm just taking you up on that offer to share a padded cell. I'm going to need it," Batman stated and the Joker laughed, hugging his Batsy close, he had won his prize.

(A/N: Again OOC, leave me alone about that. Otherwise reviews are love and all that.)


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